Method for Endothelial Cell Extraction from Adipose Tissues

Abstract

Adipose tissue has proven to serve as an abundant, accessible, and rich source of endothelial or vascular endothelial cells suitable for tissue engineering. We describe a detailed method for the isolation and purification of endothelial cells using purified enzymes and antibody-based selection. The cells can be obtained from liposuction procedures and used in vascular grafts.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of preparing endothelial cells from adipose tissue, comprising:
 washing adipose tissue obtained from a liposuction procedure patient;   collecting cells from the washed adipose tissue;   enzymatically treating the cells with a purified preparation of collagenase, wherein said preparation is depleted in pepsin, trypsin, and thermolysin;   sorting the treated cells by contacting with magnetic beads comprising a first antibody specific for an antigen selected from a first group consisting of: CD31, CD34, CD144, and CD146, or an antigen selected from a second group consisting of CD14, CD45, and F19;   collecting cells which are bound to said magnetic beads if the antibody is specific for an antigen in the first group and collecting cells which are not bound to said magnetic beads if the antibody is specific for the second group.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the collected cells are seeded onto a vascular graft within 3 days of liposuction procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the collected cells are seeded onto a vascular graft within 2 days of liposuction procedure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the collected cells are seeded onto a vascular graft within 1 days of liposuction procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the vascular graft is implanted into the liposuction procedure patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein magnetic beads comprising more than one antibody are contacted with the treated cells. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the purified preparation of collagenase comprises dispase. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the collagenase is from  Clostridium histolyticum.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the dispase is from  Bacillus polymixa.